In advance of the self-guided Loveland Art Studio Tour this year, artists will offer demonstrations over the next few weekends.

"What I felt is a lot of people wanted to see how the artists did what they do, but the studio tour doesn't really allow the time because they have so many visitors," said Billie Colson, founder and co-manager of the tour, and owner of Independence Gallery in Loveland.

"Many (of the demonstrations) are in the artists' studio because the tools of what they do are there but there are few that are in public areas."

The demonstrations will be Saturdays Sept. 16 through Oct. 7.

Woodworker Laurie Kleespies, heirloom-design.com, jumped at the chance to share her process in the demonstration portion of the studio tour. She will host her demonstration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 30 in her home woodworking studio, 2025 Arkansas St., Loveland.

Not to sure what to expect, she is going to keep it simple. She will present on the step-by-step process of turning a rough piece of wood or log to finished piece. She will discuss tools used and various techniques of woodworking.

"I thought I would just talk about the process," said Kleespies, who has been working with wood for 27 years. "I want to show how you get from point A to point B."

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Originally an Army nurse, Kleespies had to leave her career due to severe asthma. When she was able to return to work, she had young children, so she decided to pursue her dream job of woodworking, something that would allow her to be home with them.

"I have three brothers. They all got to take wood shop in school, and me being a girl, I didn't get to. Girls were not allowed to take wood shop," she said, but she was interested in what her brothers would bring home and how the pieces were created.

Laurie Kleespies explains woodworking techniques in her woodworking studio in Loveland. She has been wordworking for 27 years. (Michelle Vendegna / Reporter-Herald staff)

Mostly self taught, she started ago by making kids' toys. During a three-day woodworking class, she learned how to use a lathe, a rotating machine used in shaping wood.

"I would do high-end craft shows in the mid-Atlantic," Kleespies said.

Living with her husband and kids in Massachusetts and then Maryland, she created pens, pencils and desk sets. She started doing custom wood pieces by request with allowed her to learn new woodworking skills with each project she took on.

In 2014, Kleespies and her husband moved to Loveland.

"We were on the East Coast far too long," she said.

They had vacationed here and had friends as her husband had attended Colorado State University.

"We have moved nine times," she said. "This is the last one, and I can't think of better place to be," she said.

Moving offered her the chance to custom build her shop, insulated to keep stay cool and to spare the neighbors from the noise. Kleespies designed and built a vacuum system from sewer and drain pipes to collect the fine dust to help with her asthma.

After almost three decades, Kleepspies still hand picks all of her wood. She enjoys how the process can still surprise her and how the roughest piece of wood can reveal the most amazing color.

"You just don't know what you're going to get until you get there," she said.

There is always something to learn or figure out. As Kleespies is asked to do new and different pieces, she has to figure out how to deliver.

"I treat the whole thing as a game. I look at it as a puzzle, that's what keeps me going," she said.

Both Colson and her co-manager of the tour, Carolyn Pearce, will give demonstrations in advance of the tour as well.

"There will probably be several artists (demonstrating), but I will be (demonstrating) a portrait," Colson said.

In its ninth year, the Loveland Studio Art Tour offers a chance to talk with more than 50 artists about their processes and take self-guided tours their Loveland studios. The studio tour is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 14-15 and Oct. 21-22. Guide books can be picked up at Loveland Museum/Gallery, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., Loveland; Hart Gallery, 135 E. Fourth St., Loveland; Independence Gallery, 233 E. Fourth St., Loveland; Lincoln Gallery, 429 N. Lincoln Ave., Loveland; and at participating studios. A digital version of the guide book is also available at lovelandstudiotour.com/.

"Our goal is to get people to do other things," said Pearce about the guides. They offer other suggestions of things to do and places to go while visitors are in town for the two weekends.

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